Fun Cup history – GT Radial #97’s all-female driver line-up
(l-r): Drivers Wendy Ellis-Smith, Michelle Hayward and Zoe Burke became the Fun Cup Endurance Championship’s first ever all-female driver line-up in GT Radial car number 97 (Photo: Giti Tire)
GT Radial car number 97 made history in the 2022 Fun Cup Endurance Championship, becoming the competition’s first ever vehicle driven by an all-female line-up. Experienced racers Wendy Ellis-Smith, Michelle Hayward and Zoe Burke came together for the first time at Snetterton in July. They finished ninth in a field of 19 having started in pole position. In addition to its all-female weekend, Giti used its entry in the Fun Cup to bring together racing legends, celebrities and influencers to pilot the car, led by Giti Tire’s senior test engineer Ellis Hadley. Looking back on the 2022 competition, the GT Radial team said it had enjoyed several memorable achievements.
At Oulton Park in April, vlogger and esports gamer Jimmy Broadbent and popular YouTuber Steve Alvarez Brown took third place, only the second time in several seasons the team has enjoyed a podium finish.
Other notable drivers include Steve Peat, renowned multiple World and British Downhill Mountain Bike Champion who helped the team finish seventh and 14th at Anglesey, while Honda TT legend John McGuiness saw an eighth place finish at Oulton Park’s second fixture of the season.
Brian McDermott, country manager – UK for Giti Tire said: “Our participation has never been about the places, it’s been about opening up the sport to people who will hugely enjoy the experience and tell their followers about the day, the brand and our fantastic staff.”
Broadbent, for instance, has 798k YouTube subscribers plus 110k Instagram followers while Brown has 718k and 85.2k respectively.
“The all-female British driver line-up of Wendy, Michelle and Zoe is our definite highlight of the season,” added McDermott. “We’ve had an all-women team racing at the 24hr Nürburgring for four seasons now, so bring that same spirit and inclusivity to the UK, albeit on a smaller scale, makes us very proud.”
GitiCompete GTR2 tyres supplied as official tyre partner
For the seventh consecutive year Giti Tire was the Official Tyre Partner of the Fun Cup Endurance Championship, with all cars in the competition running on GitiCompete GTR2 tyres.
The pattern forms part of a comprehensive range of competition racing tyres which are used in events around the world with the proven technology findings adapted to further develop its everyday passenger car portfolios.
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